What People Always Want
by sydney.sue
Summary: HIATUS: Sasuke, after returning to Konoha, has no idea how to deal with other people. His antisocial implications leads to forced therapy by a psychologist who hardly seems qualified. SasukeXOC. Rated T for now. slighlty AU due to the most recent chapters
1. Prologue

Hello all! This is my first story here on . It's a Sasuke based story, which is surprising because I'm not super crazy about him. BUT I like the story, so we'll see where this goes.

Feel free to read and review! Just… be reasonably nice, I beg of you…

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Naruto world, just my OC and any future ones =]

Prologue

"I won't cry for you," her voice came in a small whisper just in front of him. Sasuke gently placed Sakura down on the bench and turned to face his next obstacle.

His onyx gaze met the unusually piercing emerald eyes of Kumori Tenshi.

"I won't miss you either," she stated, as she took a step forward.

"I never loved you, as so many fan girls did, because I was never one of them. I could never understand their obsession with such a cruel heartless boy." Her face remained stoic and serene. His was blank and contained.

"Yet here you are…" His lips barely parted when he spoke.

"Yet here I am…because despite everything…I will miss the way you completed our team. The way you made Naruto strive harder, and Sakura a little less of a twit. I will miss the occasional moments where I felt you were human.

"I'm here…" she breathed, her eyes never wavering, never blinking, never looking away from his. He could see what was between them, and part of him wanted to understand it, more than anything. She had never been what he had been expecting.

"I'm here because you and I both know that once you leave, you will have chosen a path that you can't turn away from. That once you leave, you will go and be tainted to a point where those parts of you that are human, won't be anymore."

"I'm well aware of this," his voice was cold, and unforgiving.

"Then you must have thought about after."

Her comment was left with silence as the younger Uchiha stood stiffly on the pavement walkway, for once unsure of what to do.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Her feet shuffled slightly, in her normal swagger down the streets of Konoha. Streets that she had been forced to memorize, each step having a number count in her head. Her office papers were held delicately in her left hand, swaying slightly at her side along with the gentle motion of her arms. In the other hand, was a red and white stick, one she twirled around in a way that would be dangerous to others who got too close.

There were whispers and the atmosphere was filled with a sort of giddiness. Tenshi frowned as she turned a corner that counted as the 176th step on her small journey. She didn't understand. Even with her hearing as amplified as it was, she could only her little snips and bits. None of it made sense.

"…he's back!"

"_No!"_

"There's no way!"

"How…?"

"It's just a rumor…"

She filed it away as nothing other than petty gossiping that happened more than often around younger women and desperate house wives. It happened too much to be news worthy anymore.

"Tenshi!" an all too familiar voice bellowed. A grin crept up on her features, and she headed toward the sound.

"Naruto I'm glad to see your back safe and sound! You too Sakura!" She grinned, her head turning in the kunoichi's direction. Her laughter rang slightly. It was always comforting somehow.

"I never know how you do that," she chuckled.

"Does it still freak you out?"

"Naturally."

The hand holding her office work bound in a folder and notebook came up temporarily and pushed her overly tinted sunglasses up the bridge of her nose.

"So… don't you notice anything?" Naruto's voice was confused and fused with an unhinged energy. It was almost contagious. His emotions painted a mental imagery in her mind of his stance and face before her.

"Am I—"

"We finally did it! We brought Sasuke back!" he nearly shouted in interruption. A delicate frown crossed her features. There was something wrong.

"Can't you… can't you _find_ him?" this was Sakura's voice now, slightly lowered. It was her "medical tone". It was the tone she used with Tenshi whenever something with her disability came up.

Kumori Tenshi had been very much blind for almost 4 years.

Yet not once in those four years has she not been able _find _something.

Whipping her stick around, after having it tucked under her arm, she quickly focused some chakra to the tip and slammed it into the ground. And, with a type of radar substituting her actual vision, the slightly older more matured version of Sasuke appeared, blank and stoic as one would have envisioned him to be.

"Well, well, well… you did didn't you? Congratulations!" A smile too sweet to be trusted replaced her frown as Sasuke analyzed the used technique and her change in character. Her head snapped to Naruto, making some of the blond hair that had escaped the twist at the back of her neck swing in front of her shaded eyes.

"Naruto dear… do you remember what I said I would do to welcome our Sasuke back if you guys ever got the job done?" The other blonde's brow contracted slightly in an attempt to remember. Suddenly the same smile spread across his features and his cerulean eyes sparkled mischievously. A look he had mastered by the age of 8.

"Now that you mention it…"

Sakura frowned slightly, never having been clued in on the situation. She watched as Tenshi once again tucked her walking stick (one she never actually used for walking) under her arm and raised both hands to the side of her mouth. She gave an overly dramatic inhale.

"OH MY GAWD! IT'S UCHIHA SASUKE! SASUKE-KUN IS BACK!!! OH MY GAWD I LOOOOOVVVE YOOOOUUU!!!!!"

Her voice seemed to ricochet off of every solid object as Sasuke stood there, momentarily shocked after the horrific fan girl imitation. Naruto doubled over laughing and Sakura just covered her mouth to hide her smile.

Tenshi then bolted, and ran like there was no tomorrow.

Why did she choose that opportune moment?

Because not even five seconds later, the trio was almost suffocated in fan girl's that have been waiting almost 4 years for their "beloved" to return.

And Tenshi had been waiting nearly four years to do it.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Why did she do that?" Sasuke questioned, after they barely escaped his fan girl massacre.

"Tenshi is a really different person from the one you knew Sasuke. That also means she has a really different sense of humor," Sakura sighed. The lone Uchiha looked over at his two comrades in a silent question, but Naruto's face turned stoic and cold.

"Come on, we're going to see Kakashi-sensei," the blonde stated after a moment, his face forcefully being lifted from the darkness that had flitted across it. He looked over at Sakura and Sasuke with an attempted smile.

_Kakashi-sensei can tell him… when the time is right…_

"Well, well! It is good to see most of our old team back together again!" His eye curved into a smile as he appeared before Naruto had to say anything else. His hand rubbed the back of his head, almost sheepishly, causing some of his lopsided silver hair to ruffle.

Naruto and Sakura turned slightly blue in the face and their shoulders slumped. Sasuke stood to the side of them, cautious and curious—though never showing anything he felt. Kakashi opened his single eye and say everyone's faces.

"Oh? What's this—he doesn't know? I thought you would've run into Tenshi by now…"

"She's blind, right?" Sasuke asked, his tone blunt.

"Of course. What I meant was, do you know why?" Kakashi's voice had always been monotone, and lazy. Even when he was discussing something grave, his eye seemed turn into a smile. It never really seemed that he had a variety of expressions, but it was only because nothing had ever caused him to crack the expressionless shell he had encased himself in. Sasuke, despite everything, had always envied and admired that about him.

"No."

"I see… Well! Now isn't the time nor the place for it, is it?" he chuckled.

"Kakashi-sensei, you have the worst timing imaginable," Naruto and Sakura echoed. His eye curved into his trademark sheepish grin.

* * *

Author's Note: Hurrah! Chapter 2!

I'm actually not sure if anybody reads this, but I'm happy to put this story somewhere. :)

I know the chapters are kind of short, but that's because this was originally just a one shot, and it kind of mutated into something else entirely.

I'm kind of hoping I won't hit a major road block in this story, as I do all of my others. I'll always starts something, take a ridiculously long break, and when I come back to work on it, I don't remember what I was plotting...

oops...? :\


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: sorry, but i own nothing my OC's. tragic, isn't it?

* * *

Chapter 3

"Uchiha Sasuke." His named was formed in her mouth like something dry and unwanted. Her amber eyes unwillingly moved to his blank face. What was she going to do with a traitor? Could she place her trust in him? Was he even fit to work in such a society—especially after all he's been through? He did dispose of two S-rank criminals, but…

He was not her most favorite shinobi.

Despite this, she did feel bad for him in a way. Since his return, the younger Uchiha had been unexpectedly compared to the one person whom nobody ever thought to be on his level.

Uzamaki Naruto.

She'd heard a few whispers of it here and there. People were shocked by his betrayal, and unintentionally been keeping tracks of Naruto. When he returned from his training with Jariya, it was like people were finally opening their eyes. He was suddenly human to them, and a great one at that. He strove so hard to protect everyone and grow stronger, that he ended up proving everyone wrong.

And they loved him for it. Looking like the Fourth Hokage didn't hurt either.

There were still a few who did not see him as anything more than the kyuubi, but the numbers were fading as Naruto continued to prove himself worthy.

"Hm…" The Fifth laced her fingers together under her chin, in a way that screamed authoritative. Sasuke sat, emotionless and blank, unable to imagine what the Hokage would want to see him for.

Probably not something to look forward to.

"Just a moment ago, I almost felt sorry for you. I know now that you've returned, you've been compared to the one person who has surpassed you in more ways than one." Her voice was blunt and casual. Tsunade's voice probably would've hurt somebody's feelings more if it had been anyone else. But Sasuke actually didn't mind.

"But suddenly, I don't anymore."

"Good." The monotone in his voice sounded odd in his ears, his voice suddenly seemed lower and dead. Though nothing had changed, it seemed to be the first time he actually listened to himself.

Was this how he sounded all of the time? Was he really so far gone?

"Let's get to the point. You, Uchiha Sasuke, after everything you've been through have developed unwanted and unnecessary personality traits. When you are on a mission, this is… I guess this is the ideal way one should behave. However… you have lost a part of your humanity," she stated. Glancing down at her hands, which by this point had spread involuntarily on the desk, her eyes zoomed in on a chip in her red nail polish. She made a mental note to fix it later.

"Your point Hokage-sama?" He used the honorific unwillingly. Sasuke had never actually verbally recognized anyone as his superior.

"My point is that now that you've fulfilled you're vendetta, there is time for you to find at least a part of what you lost. And for that…" she smiled, it was polite and mischievous at the same time. Basically, it was suspicious.

"You must go see a psychiatrist."

Sasuke froze. "What?"

"I will even give you the highest recommendation to the best in the business," her lips continued to curve upward after clearly ignoring his reaction. "You start tomorrow afternoon."

Before Sasuke could think of anything in response, he found himself being dismissed and led out the door by Shizune. Only the clicking sound of the door shutting behind him woke him up.

Apparently, Uchiha Sasuke was going to therapy.

* * *

**Author's Babbling:**

Poor Sasuke.

But... well, it makes sense. Revenge makes most people crazy-- they either end up dying or losing something important.

So who is his therapist?? Stay tuned...


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Naruto Universe except for what I make up for the purpose of this story. that would be why it's a fan fiction...

* * *

Chapter 4

Sasuke stood for a moment, unsure if he had the right room. The address was right, as well as the room… so then—

"What are you doing here?"

Tenshi sat, obviously concentrating on the tablet on hand. She didn't even move to give him any recognition.

"I am drawing. What are _you _doing Mr. Uchiha?" She bit her bottom lip in a moment of concentration. Then she smiled in obvious self-satisfaction as she pulled it away from her, as one would do to one's own artistic masterpiece.

Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch.

"You're blind," he stated. The situation was unusual to him. He wasn't even sure if people could draw without seeing what they were doing.

"And you, Captain Obvious, are late!" she responded dryly. Tenshi wasn't insulted in the least by Sasuke's bluntness. The whole "blind" thing didn't bother her anymore.

"So, since you are here, I'll get straight to the point: I'm not here to coddle you, tell you what to do, say, or feel, or to fix whatever is wrong with you."

"Then what am I doing here?" He breathed. He couldn't fight the sudden exhaustion weighing on his shoulders.

"I'm here to help _you _accomplish those things—except I don't think it would be wise if you coddle yourself. It would be odd and extremely out of character…" her thought process trickled off as she tapped her chin thoughtfully. Sasuke eyed her warily, unsure of whom this person really was. Is it even possible that this was the person he once knew?

Tenshi used to be the girl that was practically invisible. She excelled tremendously at the academy, but because she was so quiet and never spoke up she was never noticed. She would apologize for stuff that was never her fault and would never fully listen to everything the person was saying if it wasn't necessary.

Was this even the same person who promised not to care for him? Who questioned and predicted his life as it is now?

"Take a seat Uchiha-san. For now I'll just throw some questions at you, but I don't want you to answer right now," she stated, setting aside her notebook and pen and waiting patiently for Sasuke to sit down and question her motives.

"Fine." He would have questioned her motives, but getting this over and done with was much more appealing.

"Great! I-" An alarm sounded somewhere and she quickly maneuvered her way towards it.

"Oops. Well Sasuke, I guess that this will have to be it for our meeting. I must have messed up the schedule…" Sasuke sat stiffly, trying not to let his last nerve be fried to an unfixable extent. He needed it for Naruto.

"That's it?"

"For today, I'm afraid so. I have a doctor's appointment. Ever since I went blind, they feel a need to check up on my a few times a month. I truly hate being coddled and protected like this, but at least they care…" she sighed. She grabbed a paper from her folder and placed it in front of Sasuke. He stared at it.

"This isn't a grocery list is it?" a delicate frown crossed her features for a moment until he muttered an almost inaudible "no." Why would a blind person hold on to a grocery list in the first place?

"Good! Than these are the questions that you should think about! Feel free to write down the questions in case you don't remember. Our next meeting is on Wednesday!" She paused to smile as she followed Sasuke out of her office. Despite everything, he was feeling flabbergasted and tired. More than anything, he just wanted some time to himself.

"Oh, Sasuke…" His onyx eyes turned in her direction.

"You'll probably hear a lot of things about my… method of recovery in past cases. If any of these make you uncomfortable, please feel free to find a different psychiatrist. If not, I guess I'll see you Wednesday." The smile never faltered on her face. It wasn't false or untrue. It was polite and kind, almost understanding. It unnerved him and he turned to leave.

"I don't think you'll ever be _seeing_ anyone again." His voice was the only thing he left her.

A mischievous smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she turned to leave.

"Silly Sasuke… I can _see_ right through _you_…"

* * *

**Author's Babbling:**

Hot dang.

Admittedly, I have grown quite fond of that last line.

So who exactly is this Tenshi person-- an old teammate twisted by the time gone by? What is her past? Why is she blind?

...who knows actually. I haven't gotten that far along in the story =]

enjoy!


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters.... besides the one's I create. :D

* * *

Chapter 5

"So how are things going with Uchiha?" Tenshi's aunt asked on her routine checkup.

"Auntie Tsunade, it's only been one day. Besides, I have patient confidentiality to keep in mind. You'll get a report when we make some progress," she laughed, her feet swinging off of the hospital bed with a child like quality. Tsunade's brow contracted slightly. Her amber eyes moved to the smiling girl before her. Tenshi's eyes were out of focus and staring at the spot on the wall in front of her.

"Stop frowning, Auntie," she sang.

"I'm not frowning." This, in turn, only made Tsunade frown more.

"Then at least stop trying to play tricks on a blind girl. It's not nice." Her mock scold managed to produce a dry laugh.

"How are your headaches?" The older blonde asked, instantly reverting to doctor mode. He fingers began probing along Tenshi's temple and as her niece grinned impishly.

"I haven't had any since the last visit. Nor any other aches and pains," she chuckled. "I think that this round of medication might actually work, and there aren't any weird side effects." Tsunade pursed her lips for a moment.

"What about flashbacks?" The silence that ensued was answer enough, but Tenshi chose to speak anyways.

"Just one, and it was in a dream so I can't be one hundred percent sure. It's nothing to send me to shock therapy for…" she sighed. Tsunade's gaze softened momentarily as she kissed Tenshi's forehead.

"Your check up is done. You don't have to go home, but get the hell out of here."

* * *

**Author's Babbling:**

So very, very short!!!!

Sorry about that. You may notice later on that the parts without Sasuke are going to be smaller...

BUT I want to thank you guys for the notes and such. I am undoubtedly pleased :)

Enjoy!


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: you know the drill-- I own nothing but my own characters.

* * *

Chapter 6

Sasuke stood in the doorway for a moment, still trying to decide if his therapist was actually qualified. At the current moment, Tenshi had her ear pressed to the floor, while her scrawny behind sticking up in an awkward position. A loud thud sounded from the floor below, followed by a shout.

"Oh, my. It looks like sempai got rejected again…" she stood up and straightened her brown plaid vest, which covered her like a sleeveless v-neck t-shirt would.

Sasuke, despite himself, couldn't help but notice that Tenshi didn't wear anything underneath the vest. Clearly, she took after her aunt in more than one department.

"That's what he gets for being a sick bastard and going after his patients," she sighed. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and sat down with too much effort to be careless, he was almost uncertain how to relax anymore—especially in her presence.

It was unnerving.

And it kind of pissed him off.

"So Sasuke, have you looked over the questions that I gave you?" she practically sang when she spoke, her smile too natural for him. Her good nature bothered him, and he was starting to think that it was this factor that had been bothering him.

"No."

He was lying, naturally. Of course he had skimmed through it, but he had found the questions either too pointless or too absurd for him to bother answering.

"That's fine!" Her voice was too happy for that fact. She was really far more content at the moment not to go through the troublesome psychoanalysis and survey. His onyx gaze was suddenly hyperaware of Tenshi when she took off her glasses for the first time since their meeting.

There were a few faded white lines around her eyes, almost like scars that seemed to be streaming away from them. She barely opened her eyes as she kept her gaze down and cleaned her tinted glasses (for what purpose he didn't know—it's not like she needed to see out of them). The soft milky white film coated her once emerald eyes.

She unexpectedly chuckled.

"I suppose that it would be weird to think about, after comparing with who I was and who I am now. My eyes are just one of those differences…"

He stayed silent, part of him wondering if she would elaborate on what happened to make such a different person. She grinned foolishly and put her glasses back on.

"But this isn't _my _therapy session, now is it? Let's go for a walk Sasuke! I need a break from this stuffy old office!" She was practically singing as she headed for the door, Sasuke making sure to keep a reasonable distance between them. He couldn't decide if he wanted to be seen with her in public or not.

Turns out he didn't really have a choice.

Upon reaching the door, she hooked her arm through his and led him off in her own direction. He inwardly cringed from the contact, though nothing particularly showed on the outside. Though she was much shorter than him, he could feel loose strands of her long hair tickle his bicep, and the smell of her floral shampoo drifted upwards. She was too close, and he tried slipping through her grip.

"Sorry," she chuckled. "Sometimes I'm a bit forceful in my actions. I have to learn to be more considerate… though I think Kakashi-sensei was just a _little_ pissed when he said that." A grin split her face and she laughed.

"It's a good story," she promised. "Remind me to tell you later."

He kept waiting for it, but there was nothing. There was no analyzing, or questioning about him pulling away. A comfortable silence fell between them, and he felt momentarily at ease. Though he couldn't help but question her methods (because she hadn't done a thing since they started these sessions).

Their walk was reasonably long, but he didn't mind. He couldn't remember the last time he truly drank in his surroundings. He remembered how bitter he used to be, growing up in a place where everything was so happy. It was almost always summer, people always seemed to be glad that they were there, and he hated it. Now… an unknown peace settled in this place.

He briefly wondered where they were heading and looked down at Tenshi, but the look on her face was serene and he didn't wish say anything. He was momentarily content and he didn't wish for it to pass.

When the finally looped back to the office, their meeting time was up and she turned to bid goodbye to him at the door.

"Thank you Sasuke," she looked at him (though he still didn't know how it was possible for her to do such a thing), but this time there was no smile plastered on her face. That serenity had not faded and he recognized her content look. It reminded him of the girl she was once, not too long ago.

"This is a therapy session," he pointed out blankly. She nodded absently for a moment.

"Yes. It is, but I never had a set destination for us to go. I let you lead Sasuke, and you took a peaceful path. One I had never been down before, so once again, thank you, and I'll see you next time," she smiled gently and slipped inside the office building, leaving him standing there for a moment longer.

He hadn't even realized he was leading. He was just living in that peaceful moment, and simply followed an invisible breeze. Was this her plan all along? Or just a coincidence?

She was good at her trade. Tenshi did not act as the stereotypical therapist, asking you to lay down and work through your issues. She did not ask one question about his past and, in a metaphorical sense, he felt she was looking more for his future instead.

He stepped out into the street, his destination homeward bound.

Sasuke kept a mental note to watch her more closely.

* * *

**Author's Babbling:**

Ugh. This was the worst week EVER. So many many many finals, last minute papers, and horrible two faced girls whom I have to work with.

Awful day today as well :(

But I still posted a chapter for you all! And it's oh so much longer than the last one!

Though, I have to warn you that I have at least another short cake chapter coming up before they get longer again. Heads up.

Anywhoo, thanks for the messages and such! It really makes my day :D

Enjoy!


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: oh you know already...

* * *

Chapter 7

"Kakashi-sensei! Yoo-hoo!" Tenshi waved obnoxiously like she did every week that her and Kakashi had lunch. He smiled gently under his mask, and sat across from his former student. Currently, they sat at table outside a small private café. This was the usual spot for their weekly meetings.

Ever since a little normalcy returned to her life, Tenshi had made a clear effort to keep some sort of relationship with all of her teammates. Whatever had happened, she didn't remember, and from what she did, it was all of her teammates and how happy they made her.

They were all cautious at first, not truly knowing how she would react to the simplest things. What would set her off? Not even she knew, but she did know that meeting with her favorite people once a week was a necessity. Weekly lunches with all of them had been a tradition for the last couple of years (with the exception of Naruto's training).

"How are you today Tenshi? I didn't keep you waiting long did I?" He knew the answer, but he always asked as a joke. She laughed.

"No sensei. My sense of time is a bit off though…" He grinned at her and they ordered their food, the waitress fluttering at Kakashi despite numerous declines.

"Dear gawd sensei, when are you just going to say yes to that poor woman?" she teased as the waitress (who was young and reasonably good looking) walked away. Kakashi watched her of course, and turned back to his former student.

"I don't think she's my type…"

"Is that why you keep staring at her ass?"

"Hmm. Aren't you supposed to be blind?" he scoffed. She grinned and leaned forward.

"So you must have somebody you got your eye on, right? Who's the lucky lady?"

He stared her, contemplating her nosiness. He just chuckled and looked off into the sparsely crowded street.

"You've been asking me that for almost three years now, and nothing has changed."

She knew better, despite everything. Tenshi had a feeling that Kakashi was waiting for a certain someone. After all, who wasn't?

"How are things with Sasuke going?" his tone was casual, as if he was just making conversation, but it was obvious that he was curious. Most people were these days.

"He hasn't killed me yet," she grinned happily, unwilling to tell more. Kakashi nodded and returned his gaze to the people around him.

"Yet," he sighed.

* * *

**Author's Babbling:**

Finals are done! And I'm happy to say I passed them all... I think :)

Thank you, thank you, _thank you_ for all the reviews and such! I'm so happy, truly. you like me, you really like me... *cough* anywhoo...

Now, with all of my new found free time, I decided to sit down and get into some nitty gritty character development with our friend Tenshi. So she started to tell me a little bit about herself (not literally of course, I'm not insane) and what happened to her, etc....

And all I have to say is _wow. _

There is definately irony in her position. And yes, she is as wierd as you think she is.

I don't think this story is going to turn out how I planned... my main character has somehow developed a will of her own...

Darn mutinous characters...


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Noo, I don't own Naruto... silly goose :)**

* * *

Chapter 8

She swung her foot to an invisible beat, as she (once again) started to doodle on her notepad. Sasuke watched her with annoyance, still wondering how the hell she could draw so continuously.

"Why do you draw? There isn't any point," he remarked after some time resting in casual silence. These meetings didn't really seem to be doing anything at all. Half the time, they would just sit there in silence for an hour and a half until she politely tells him she'll see him next week. There wasn't really any psychoanalysis, or questioning.

What had he been so worried about before?

"I _like _to draw. However," she paused thoughtfully, tapping her chin with the eraser of her pencil, "if you are referring to the fact that I can't see what I'm drawing… well, I suppose that it would be annoying to those who don't understand. How about I show you how I draw?" Her grin was quite happy despite Sasuke's comment and tone. He looked over from staring out the window (there was a comfortable window seat in her office that he seemed to have adopted) and caught the notepad when she tossed it.

At first glance, it didn't appear to be anything. Abstract shapes scattered the page, until he finally pulled the page away. Then, slowly, a familiar figure came to surface—he was able to recognize the bored position of himself casually resting on the window seat.

The reason he could recognize the picture at first was because the picture was made from only drawing the shadows. Truly, it wasn't a professional picture, and there was an amateur like quality about it, but basing it off the fact that she was _blind_…

"How?" Sasuke stated bluntly, still eyeing the picture of himself with shadows defining the cold expression on his face. This unnerved him more than it should have, but every time he caught someone looking at him, they looked so… scared? Uncertain? He wasn't quite sure, but it was never the serene grin that was now softening the visible features of his former teammate… No, he couldn't remember the last time somebody looked at him like that, if they ever have.

"While I am legally blind, being a part of the shinobi world has blessed me with other means of seeing." She paused to lean back against the couch thoughtfully, reaching her arms around the back of it in an extremely unfeminine pose.

"It's a type of radar, if I had to put it into words… noise helps me form a better picture, but it's not always necessary. That picture is what I could see with the radar, that's why it's drawn using shadows as the only definition. Depending on the person, I can usually pick up some sort of color either from memory or from the tone of their voice."

Sasuke glanced back at the notebook in his hand, briefly studying the character sitting against the window. Did it tell a story in any way? Who was this cold shouldered person by the window?

And why did he want to know?

"Green," he mumbled, tossing the notebook back to see if she would catch it. She did, as thought, and frowned delicately.

"I beg your pardon?" She asked carefully, as if the question itself could set off a catastrophe. He couldn't see Tenshi's eyes through the shaded lenses, but he could tell she was looking right at him. Impatience came unexpectedly, forcing the words out in a sigh.

"One of the questions on the list was my favorite color. I don't have a favorite, but the color green helps to clear my mind…"

She didn't look shocked or all knowing as he half expected, but she just nodded her head in understanding.

"Green is a color related to nature and calm. It's a fairly common occurrence that the color ties into meditation or relaxation. Most doctors' offices are painted green.." she trailed off, lost in a train of thought.

"That answer would be a good one, but you truly can't lie to me Sasuke. I may be blind, but I can still read people," she stated in a simple, factual tone, her tone not mocking or filled with ridicule. It didn't really surpsrise him that she caught the lie, but the need to test her couldn't really escape him. A certain calm entertained Sasuke's thoughts for a moment, as he contemplated the coldness of his picture, the deadness in his voice…

"What do _you _think is wrong with me?"

* * *

**Author's Babbling:**

Hellooo :) It's almost one in the a.m. right now, so I apologize in advance for any spelling errors and slightly eratic typing behavior...

I don't actually think it's been too horribly long, but I still felt a bit guilty... Life has been crazy hectic, and I've finally had time to let my brain turn back into mush. It's pretty awesome, not gonna lie... Cheers to summer, yes?

And on a more personal note on the not so distant future, I am slightly excited (and particularly disturbed) for fall to come again so I can finally pursue my illustration! Can you believe that was the whole reason I started reading comics (or manga, depending on how sensitive you are, though I read both) in the first place?? I feel so progressed... :D

I was SO happy reading the last chapter of Naruto! I almost punched my laptop from happiness-- and needless to say that would have been very, very bad. So if you haven't read it, do it. Doo it.

What will Tenshi think? Why is Sasuke picking on the blind chick? And what, exactly, is Sasuke's favorite color????! Stay tuned, read, and review!


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: you know the drill...**

* * *

Chapter 9

He wanted to hear her analysis; he wanted to know exactly how skilled she was as a psychologist to diagnose such a deep rooted mental trauma as his own. Plus, he didn't want to continue coming here for forever if this is all these "sessions" consisted of.

"I told you the very first session, Sasuke-san. I'm only here to help you help yourself. If you don't know the answer, how could I even begin to help you?" Her voice was breezy, not condescending in any way, but her way of professionalism—her easy smiles and non-accusatory tones—had annoyed him because of the way it unnerved him so.

"I'm asking your professional opinion."

Another thought occurred to him belatedly as he examined the tinted glasses resting easily upon the bridge of her nose. Her sense of vision came from a type of radar, giving view to a shadow world that allowed things to take shape. So if there were no means of creating the shadows…

A delicate frown furrowed her brow as he moved from the sunlit window seat to the shadow lain wall next to it. Sighing, she leaned forward and pinched the same spot where her glasses once sat.

"Hokage-sama told me you lost something important in your character, but in reality I don't think she was even aware of what it truly was. You are, I'm sure, aware of the uneasiness you cause in those around you, but what is it that causes such a reaction?" She stood and began to pace, suddenly seeming ten years older and weathered. The transformation made him more curious than he was ever willing to admit, but she was… actually starting to look like a person of her position.

"One might say you have trust issues, but I don't think that's fully it. True, it is extremely hard to trust people in your profession, and then you add your past… but I know that you trust Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura. I know that you won't go spilling your secrets out to any of them, but you are naturally a private person. While all of that could be something to work on, it doesn't mean you've lost your sense of trust. You know how to work with people, being that you've had two teams before, and you are a natural born leader. Hope doesn't seem to be a factor either…" She smiled gently for a moment.

"There isn't a person alive that couldn't find hope when being around Naruto…" her head shook for a moment and then she began pacing again, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Obviously a lot of your problems are centered around your past—after all, how could they not? But…" she bit her lip, silencing any further evaluation.

Sasuke knew that she wouldn't finish that sentence, but that was alright for the moment—he needed to sort out his thoughts. He stood against the shadowed wall, eyes staring at the ceiling after Tenshi's speech. The content wasn't quite what he expected her to say…

She really didn't say one bad thing about him. Never once did she point out any true faults, or say that anything was his fault. Tenshi stood still out of the corner of his eye, her fingers curled under her chin in thought.

The moment passed, and a change in atmosphere settled.

"What can I do to help you, Sasuke-san?" her head didn't move in his direction. He turned his head more fully in her direction, to look more fully at his old teammate's new appearance.

She was still petite, but with an obviously larger bust. Her clothes were very earthy and contained an almost hippy like quality. With the exception of her eyes, her face looked almost exactly the same, only with the gradual maturation process of growing out of the baby faced look that happens to every teenager.

But it was not the same person.

And he wanted to know why.

"You can tell me how you became blind."

* * *

**Author's note:**

**I would just like to start this off by apologizing for the long wait! I hope nobody was too offended...**

**And secondly, I would like to point out that I did NOT post the last chapter, and the person who did not only has been officially disowned, but also condemned to the seventh circle of Hades. SO I'm debating on replacing it with an actual edited version, but it all depends on time really... and how badly that author's note bothers me... grrrr....**

**Read and enjoy!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: you know the drill**

* * *

Chapter 10

Tenshi chuckled and danced back to the couch, stretching across the cushions in a way that would be comparative to a cat.

"That's easy: I don't remember."

Sasuke felt his eyebrow twitch upwards, arching silently in question.

"All of my memories of that time had to be erased. So, I have no real answer to how I became blind, because the only person who _could _know—that person being me—has no true recollection of the incident." She sat up with a smirk, her head resting on the palm of her hand and once again staring directly at Sasuke. The corners of his mouth turned down and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I won't give you my full analysis, but I will tell you this: try and work on not treating life as a mission."

Sasuke blanched. "What?"

"There is a difference between being on a mission and going to the grocery store. While it is good to always be aware of those around you, also be aware of the fact that not everyone is your enemy. Not everyone needs to be afraid or intimidated of you."

"Hn." He headed to the door, grateful for the small alarm that goes off at the end of every session.

"See you next week Sasuke-san!" She waved happily as he shut the door behind him.

While he was grateful for the session to end, it was curiosity that consumed him.

What exactly happened to Kumori Tenshi?

They flew backwards from each other, a trademark grin tugging Naruto's features towards mischievous. Sasuke snorted, and they both stood to grab some water after their training. It seemed almost too easy, almost impossible, that even after everything, they were friends. But as Sasuke swatted away Naruto's slap on the back, it was more than he could ask for.

It was much more than he deserved.

"Oh man," Naruto sighed, plopping down in exhaustion underneath one of the surrounding trees. He ran his lanky fingers through disheveled blonde hair, chuckling slightly.

"I have to say, it's difficult being equals. I can't just kick your ass and leave—the fight almost never stops," he whistled. Sasuke rolled his eyes, in good humor, and leaned against another tree.

A familiar thought buzzed around in his head, as it had for the last few days, and Sasuke found himself examining Naruto for a minute.

Naruto wasn't there for the full time during his absence, but surely he knew what had happened to Tenshi. One of his former teammates should know _something._

"Everyone seems kind of the same" he began uncertainly, "except…"

The blonde shinobi glanced up with curiosity, his attentiveness making him seem slightly more adult. Which, considering the fact that it _was _Naruto, was weird.

"Except Tenshi?" his blonde friend finished the thought, his eyebrows curving up in thought.

"… do you know what happened to make her so—"

"Different?" Naruto interrupted, a small smile playing across his features.

Sasuke shrugged indifferently. He was going to say annoying, but that works too.

Blues eyes looked at something nonexistent in the distance, a certain sadness settling in his features. He opened his mouth as if to start, but clenched his jaw, teeth grinding slightly, in protest. Sasuke had already decided to drop the subject before his old teammate finally spoke.

"I don't really know what happened. They retrieved her a little before I returned to the village, so I wasn't really there." He was still looking at the ground, his brow creased a little. His voice was surprisingly soft.

"By the time I was finally told that there was something wrong, she already had shock therapy. I went to visit her when she was coming to…" he shook his head, running his fingers through his hair again in distress. "Again, I wasn't really _allowed _to know the full details—all of her injuries and such. But… the damage was done. Granny Tsunade said they did all they could to help. She was… she was so _happy _that I came, that she remembered me, even that _I _remembered _her. _It didn't even matter to her that she was blind." He shook his head, smiling sadly at the memory.

"Is it so bad?"

Naruto looked over at him, less surprised than Sasuke himself was. Thankfully he had mastered the deadened face otherwise his expression would've betrayed the fact that he didn't mean to say that out loud.

"What?" Naruto asked, his head cocking to the side subconsciously.

"She seems happy enough, she has a life, she can remember those important to her… isn't it better she doesn't remember what happened?"

The rhetorical question settled between them for a moment, then dissolved. Both of them sat in silence for a while—a rare occasion when being with Naruto—and he couldn't help but remember the lines around Tenshi's eyes, and the few other scars that littered her arms, along with the one above her eyebrow. Scars weren't horribly uncommon in the shinobi world, so he hadn't really given any significance to them. But something in this story just wasn't fitting together…

And it was more than the lack of details.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Yay, new chapter. I'm sorry it's been taking so long in between, but summer is the time for road trips and family members that make you feel completely awkward. ****Needless to say, it's been hectic.**

**I also wanted to let you know that the ending of this story is coming closer, because it wasn't meant to be a long winded story-- it was originally just a one shot after all. I may post a few fun facts about the characters or story at the end too, just because I can :)**

**But have no fear, thanks to my over active day dreaming, I'm always coming up with new stories. If you have suggestions about mangas or other comics/ shows/ animes/ shows/ books that are amazing and would be fun to write about, feel free to suggest it!**

**Read and enjoy!**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Tenshi lay on the floor, sunlight leaving her skin pleasantly warm. Her hair was down for the first time in so long, that it was just nice to have it fanned out around her. People often wondered about why she kept her hair so long or how she could take care of it when she couldn't see. She could only scoff at the remarks—it was easy to twist her hair into a bun or tie it back at the base of her neck.

Imagine somebody using sharp cutting scissors particularly close to your face when you can't see them. Now THAT is a difficult thing to do.

On the floor below her, she could hear her older sempai getting yelled at by his girlfriend again. Her eyes closed with a smile at the familiarity of her environment. Living in Konoha used to bother her, where everyone seemed to know everyone else and they were all so happy. It made her want to leave, travel the world and see everything there was to see. Being a shinobi was an escape for her, the chance for adventure and a superhero complex. But now…

Not only was it impossible, it wasn't necessary.

She _liked _her job, her apartment and roommate, the town she grew up in… she liked the happy neighbors passing through. The peace and the normalcy was all what she wanted. Her life was great, despite the past that she couldn't remember and the disability that shaped her life.

The door to the office opened with a soft click, and a she tried to restrain the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Mareo, shame on you—I'm on business hours. What could possibly be so important that you've disobeyed me?"

She could feel her roommate roll his eyes, and as always, it brought a smile to both of their faces.

"You forgot your lunch, your majesty. I was doing my humble duty of roommate and caretaker and bringing it to you…" he bowed overdramatically as he stepped over to her. Pursing her lips, she sat up slightly, causing her hair to drag off the floor and fall back into place.

"Well, that is important, isn't it?" she mumbled, her hand diving in the bag. Mareo stood back with his hands on his hips, eyebrows arched in amusement. "You are forgiven. And loved. A statue will be made in your honor in the middle of the village—a patron saint of the blind and the hungry."

"Well as long as there is a statue involved, I'm in."

He plopped down on the couch with as little grace as possible. Tenshi stopped her rummaging and set the bag down, realizing there was more to be said.

"What is it?" Her tone was soft, but never uncertain. Mareo couldn't help but notice that the reason she was so good at what she did was because Tenshi had a way of working and talking with people that reassured them that things can get better. A one sided dimple flashed on his crooked grin and he grabbed both her hands.

"Tenshi, there's something I need to tell you."

She was silent for a moment longer, and her head tilted to the side.

"Is it big?"

"Huge."

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Well hot dang. It's been a while, huh?**

**Sorry about that! :D**

**Truth be told, school is kicking me arse. BUT I have found some time to work on my stuff so I'm stoked. And I totally know where this story is going! Wooo!**

**So yes, this chapter is kind of short *cough* but fear not my fellow comrades. It will be done!**

**Enjoy! **


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sasuke walked up to the familiar building, the journey there now part of his routine. He found that as more time passed living here, he liked the mundane parts of his life, the normalcy that he'd never really had. He liked having a schedule to follow and things to do—even if they're trivial.

Well, that and he was still on temporary suspension from his previous… _misdemeanors. _It was better than being completely banned from his chosen lifestyle.

As he reached the doors of Tenshi's shared office, a young man came out at the same time. Sasuke fought the urge to blink, as he stared at the neon hair and slit eyes of the stranger. As they passed each other, the guy smiled-- seeming oddly triumphant-- revealing perfectly shaped teeth. He looked like a harajuku porcelain doll.

Sasuke simply shook it off and found his usual place.

He stepped into the room with full intentions of weaseling information out of his former teammate about what had happened.

But, as he stepped forward, it was blatantly apparent something was wrong.

Tenshi stood in the middle of the room, eyebrows curved up in worry over her glasses, with her fists clenching and unclenching. He watched as she moved to pace or walk, but then she stopped and went back to fidgeting. Her usual peaches and cream complexion was now ghoulish, making her lips a sickly shade of pastel.

"Um…"

Truth be told, Sasuke had no idea what to do. He'd _never _had to comfort someone before, nor did he have any idea that he would need to. Truly, he just didn't know how to take care of other people, and it never hit him harder than looking at this familiar bizarre person in front of him.

"Sasuke…" she mumbled, remembering the session she had scheduled. "I'm sorry, I'm just…"

Everything seemed to freeze again, both of them still and seemingly uncertain in their stature. She swallowed slowly, and sat down on the window seal for support. Sasuke inched forward to the couch, but watched her all the while.

"I'm… afraid that I will have to cancel our appointment today, due to… unforeseen circumstances. I apologize for the inconvenience…"Tenshi breathed, still trying to regain composure and failing.

Sasuke thought carefully for a moment. Nothing ever seemed to off hinge Tenshi—she was never surprised nor did she ever scare. Her life was fairly concrete here, and her life was set up quite well. The only thing she couldn't really control was…

"You're acting as if all your forgotten memories tried to find you again," he murmured, gauging her reaction. She paused in her fidgeting and bit her lip in thought, her brow curved upward against some invisible weight.

It was still unusual to Sasuke to see her like this. She seemed more fragile, breakable… more…

_Human. _

"Not quite…" She sighed, her head tilting towards his direction.

"Whether you tell me now or later, I'll find out what happened eventually." His words echoed with a promise, and despite the situation, Tenshi felt the corner of her mouth twitch. Of course he would choose this opportune moment to sneak in a threat, right when she was at a weak point.

"And you are referring to…?"

"What happened to you back then?" Sasuke asked carefully. She took off her glasses a hesitantly, and set them aside.

"I suppose the time for joking has passed. You want to know what happened? Then I will tell you what I know."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I am so very, very sorry for not updating for this long. No, I did not give up on this story. Life has just been... unexplainably weird and wonderful lately. My head has been up in the clouds, and now it is back-- though I'm not sure for how long. So I'm going to take advantage of it! **

**This was originally one chapter, but I split it into two because it felt too long. So you get one today, and hopefully one tomorrow as my gift for the holidays and the upcoming new year!**

**I do hope everyone had Happy Holidays, and I do so hope you enjoy :)**


	14. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: I would like to give a fair warning to people that there might be sensitive material in this. As in, I tried to warn you so don't be offended. **

**On a side note-- Happy New Years :)**

* * *

Chapter 13

"There were a series of things that happened to me, though nobody is sure who or what exactly did it all. A few years back, I was recruited for a scroll retrieval mission. It would've been simple enough, I believe, from what I hear of my abilities back then, but I just… never came back. Nobody was sure what happened to me until two years after I disappeared.

When they found me, I was in the middle of nowhere, burnt and covered in blood. I was… unrecognizable, physically and mentally. I was an animal, more or less… and I would've been killed except that someone saw the tattoo on my upper arm and claimed me. Apparently, I had been a bit of a wild child and my tattoo was fairly well known…" a weak smiled twitched the corner of her mouth upwards, but it faded more quickly than it had come.

"Almost my entire physical make up had changed. I have a new blood type, my skin cells, my hair, even the saliva in my mouth. Everything was different so that my body could be compatible with that of a monster—and that's the only thing I could've been. I was a savage, lusting after bloodshed."

Sasuke kept still, frozen in the story as his mind formed images of a primitive monster with Tenshi's face. It didn't match well.

"My body was… a mess. Most of the fluids in my body could be used as poison one way or another, my organs were wrapped with explosive sutras, and the layered genjutsu took almost a year to unravel… Almost every bone had been broken at some point, not to mention the large number of them had been broken during my capture.

"I was… lobotomized, or at least attempted to." Her thin fingers traced along her eyebrow until his attention was brought to a pale indentation. "They told me later that there is some minor scar tissue, but nothing else. I'm still fully functioning, but I don't seem to have much of a temper. I had had a couple organ transplants here and there, for some reason or another, and…"

Her lips parted, and she took a small breathe.

"… I was pregnant when I came back."

Sasuke's eyes widened. He couldn't… no. He couldn't understand, couldn't deal with this.

"…stop," he murmured. But she just shook her head.

"It was recognized as an abnormal body and my immune system wasn't accepting it. It was removed, all my wounds were healed, all the sutras and genjutsus removed… but it didn't matter. My mind was lost, transformed by trauma and grief. It was decided that electro shock therapy was my last chance, in hopes of erasing everything for a clean slate."

"Stop…" he repeated, his brow furrowing. He didn't know what to do, what to say…

She looked up at him with an earnest expression, her milky eyes meeting his gaze.

"Can you imagine something so horrible, that in order to make anything better, all your memories have to be erased?"

He swallowed, glancing down at the floor. It didn't matter that she was blind anymore, he felt impossibly small under her gaze because… he couldn't.

He had watched his entire family die, betray his best friend and team, abandoned his home, and even killed his own brother… but…

Those were never things he wanted to forget. All of them were awful occurrences and choices, but he always wanted to remember them. How else could he evolve and grow? So he couldn't even begin to imagine something to the point of no return.

Fortune seemed to shine upon him.

And Tenshi's strength astounded him.

"I was left without my memories or my sight, and I've always been okay with both. But now…" she drifted, tilting her head towards the window.

"I have the chance to fix my eyes. I would be able to see again."

"You're going to get your sight back," Sasuke stated, assuming it was a fact. Tenshi's lips parted, but no sound came out at first, and he started to realize there was something much larger than that.

"I'm blind Sasuke, I've long since accepted that, but now I have to question the reason why it happened in the first place."

His brow twitched to a frown, but she looked back at him before he could speak again.

Going through the mental list, it was obvious that Tenshi was being developed as some sort of weapon, or monster as she put it. Everything was made for increasing her capability and testing her, all with a self destruct button just in case. So it made sense that making her blind wouldn't likely be part of the master plan.

"I don't think that whoever destroyed me made me blind… I think I did that to protect myself. The only question is…"

"From what?"


End file.
